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Eagle River Youth Coalition launches parenting series

On Sept. 29, a panel of presenters will be discuss "Parenting: Establishing a Successful School Year." The panel is, from left, Ellen Clark, Eagle County Schools psychologist and counselor; Carrie Benway, president of Eagle County's Board of Education and director of operations and development at the Family Learning Center; and Molly Brown, Eagle County Charter Academy assistant principal.
Special to the Daily |

EDWARDS — New millennium kids are faced with a plethora of issues that range from smart phone with social media distractions, bullying, exposure to illegal substances, sexual identity questions, relationships and high stress levels. As parents look to support their kids with even just one of these topics, or in some cases, several of these topics, look no further than the new parenting workshop Eat! Chat! Parent! Series presented by the Eagle River Youth Coalition.

Formerly called Dinner & Dialogue, Eagle River Youth Coalition Program Director Jason Peck re-branded the series to keep pace with the ever-changing issues facing our youth and to stay current with the times.

“We are very excited about the Eat! Chat! Parent! Series and hope to see as many parents in the community participate as possible,” Peck said. “Parents will leave the workshop with clarity on how to support their child and gain helpful concepts on communication and establishing boundaries.”



Variety of Topics

“The interaction and discussion portion of the class is where we get lively. Ideas are shared, problems are solved and new strategies for moving forward are created. Our end goal for Eat! Chat! Parent! is to help parents encourage their kids to make good choices.”Jason PeckProgram director, Eagle River Youth Coalition

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The six free sessions cover a variety of topics including:



Sept. 29: Setting your child up for success during the school year (Eagle County Charter Academy).

Oct. 27: Understanding smart phone and tablet apps (Eagle Valley Middle School).

Nov. 17: Defining mindfulness and reducing stress (Eagle County Charter Academy).

Jan. 26: Gender diversity and sexual orientation (Eagle Valley Middle School).

Feb. 16: Identifying marijuana products and recognizing the effects (Eagle County Charter Academy).

March 29: Supporting your child’s friendships and resolving conflict (Eagle Valley Middle School).

Child care provided

Eat! Chat! Parent! workshops are geared for parents of middle and high school aged children. Eat! Chat! Parent! locations will alternate between up and downvalley, hosted by the Eagle County Charter Academy and Eagle Valley Middle School. The free series will include complimentary dinner and child care will be provided.

The first Eat! Chat! Parent! workshop will feature a panel of experts including Molly Brown, assistant principal at Eagle County Charter Academy; Ellen Clark, Eagle County School District school counselor and psychologist; and Carrie Benway, president of Eagle County’s Board of Education and director of operations and development at The Family Learning Center. Brown, Clark and Benway will share their insights and expertise followed by a question and answer session.

“The interaction and discussion portion of the class is where we get lively. Ideas are shared, problems are solved and new strategies for moving forward are created,” Peck said. “Our end goal for Eat! Chat! Parent! is to help parents encourage their kids to make good choices.”

“I am honored to be a part of the first Eat! Chat! Parent! series panel for the new school year, and am looking forward to sharing my perspectives and experience with local parents about fostering an environment that positions kids to succeed in our busy community,” said Benway, who is also the mother of two teenage daughters who attend Battle Mountain High School.

Please RSVP to by emailing jpeck@eagleyouth.org or by calling 970-949-9250.


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